Jerry, I loved that comic strip........ will have to show my wife. One year after I got tired of her taking my tools and leaving them down in the basement where she often does craft projects, I gave her a tool box with all the normal household tools. She actually appreciated it and still uses them.

 

I was sitting in a weeky group meeting this evening, and for some reason, I started thinking about this thread and this topic. I began to imagine how I would react if someone in our group all of a sudden challenged us to go put $10 of their money to "good use" within the next week.

I thought if that had happened, I would probably be annoyed. Not because I disagree with the concept, or the motives, or the invasion into my life. I would be annoyed because it would mean I would have to physically go out and interact with a part of society that I so often try to overlook and ignore. While I drive a Honda, I don't think anyone would call me anything but priviledged. I have never had to ask a stranger for money, and my interaction with those who have is few, far between, and often occurs on their terms, and not mine. After all... when was the last time YOU took the initiative to approach a homeless person to offer up something, as opposed to the other way around? I can't remember if I've ever been first to offer. I go through life worrying about things I so often take for granted, and people less fortunate than myself seem to only cross my mind when they're in my way, or if they happen to be particularly repugnant. Yes, it's much easier to be selfish and greedy than it is to be compassionate sometimes.

If someone had told me that I had to use their money in one week to do good for someone else, I would be annoyed. And that makes me upset. Why should it be so difficult to help someone else? Why do I try so hard to avoid eye contact with that vagrant on the street? Why is it that when I am asked for money, I feel like I'm the one who's been inconvenienced? "You'll never believe what happened to me tonight... a smelly guy asked me for money outside Blockbuster, can you believe I had to go through that?"

I suppose I would look at that money, and see in it: A Challenge. A call to a change of attitude. A way to gain perspective on everything I have, and not to focus on what I do not. An epiphany of sorts. $10 buys a ticket to look into my own soul, in all its flawed glory.

And while there's a chance that this new attitude may not last a lifetime, and I may fall back into my old ways, and it could be the ONLY time I go out of my way by choice to help a homeless person... ...well, there's also a chance that it will, I won't, and it isn't. And if that's the case, I dare you to find a better use for $10.

 

A beautiful post, DB8.

 

One usually isn't doing a street drunk any favors by depriving him/her of alcohol. Withdrawal from alcohol, particularly in cases of chronic alcoholism, is extremely dangerous - more dangerous than withdrawal from nearly every other drug with the exception of barbiturates. Forced withdrawal in such cases generally leads to delirium tremens (DTs), epileptic seizures, and can often be fatal.
Many of the street drunks are mid to late stage alcoholics who have undergone what is known as "tolerance break" which means their livers have lost nearly all ability to metabolize alcohol. As a result, they only require relatively small amounts of alcohol to self-medicate and avoid the effects of withdrawal. A bottle of cheap fortified wine can last all day for some.
So, I keep my judgements to myself and slip them a few bucks when asked.

 

Most Americans don't know that sally ann is a Canadianism for the Salvation Army, but I agree with you. Sometimes when you look behind the curtain, those charities are in the charity for themselves business. There are a few local charities I give to. I stopped donating to the larger ones after the scandals from last year.

 

^Interesting and insightful. Thank you for sharing this piece of information. I had never known that before.

 

 

My employer, who has been blessed with enormous wealth, tells a story of when he was a young kid out walking with his family. A street person approached his Dad and asked for $1. His Dad gave it to him with no questions asked. My boss asked "Dad, how do you know he really needs it?" His Dad's response was "I don't. But it's a greater sin to deny someone in need than to give to someone who doesn't need it".

 

^

 

Coincidence? The movie Pay It Forward is on WTBS right now.